Passion Cooled
by EviIPaladin
Summary: On a night as cold as this, it is no surprise that anger does not show its usual face. Around 1000 words. Unnamed character death.


**A/N:** This fic was inspired by a prompt which asked about an antagonist losing passion in something. I figured that compromise is the thing that hurts passion the most so I saw this as the perfect opportunity to write something for Adam. This is... a lot darker than I'm used to writing so be warned.

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Sometimes Adam forgot how cold it could get. The frozen air danced and cut with elegance even he couldn't muster. Pulling his trenchcoat tighter, he exhaled as the icy daggers struck his mouth. It even stung his nostrils, the faceplate offering far less protection than he wanted. But as much as he loathed this weather, part of him was glad for it. When the temperatures were this cold, it meant the streets were quieter. Or at least, it usually did.

Even the howling wind couldn't mask the scream and the ensuing tormenting laughter. As Adam's boots crunched through the snow, his hands strayed to his weapon, gloves softly gripping the frosted steel. His calm approach did not quicken, even as the cries grew shriller and the laughter took a harsher edge. Not so long ago, his grip would be much tighter but that was then.

As he rounded the corner, Adam hated the fact that he was not surprised by what he saw. Two humans were throwing rocks at a cowering Faunus, their whimpering cries growing weaker as the cackling grew in volume. Adam cleared his throat, his gravelly voice cutting through the shrill wind. "Just what do you think you are doing?"

The two attackers froze midswing and slowly turned to see Adam's tall intimidating form, hand resting on the grip of his wicked blade. "N-nothing at all, M-mister," stammered the taller of the two, his body shivering from more than just the cold now.

"That's not what I saw." Adam's low rough voice was barely audible as the wind picked up. "I saw two worthless humans doing the one thing I hate most. So now I'll do something that I'm sure you will hate." With an unusually slow and deliberate pace, Adam drew Wilt and marched the two crying humans into a corner. The sobs and cries for forgiveness Adam had heard before. Those broken words would not slow his justice. For as he brought his blade across in a flash of red, that was what he dispensed.

A shrill shriek rang in Adam's ear as he felt a fist-sized rock bounce off his back. _More humans_, he thought to himself with mild annoyance. He had hoped that this small detour would not devolve into a massacre as he had an important meeting to attend. However, when he turned, he was shocked for the first time that night.

The shaking Faunus was standing, another rock in hand and prepared to throw. "W-why did you do th-that?!"

"They were harming you," Adam slowly moved towards his assailant, noticing the cut and burned ears sprouting from the top of their head. Their golden eyes were wide with… fear? "They were monsters."

"You're the monster!" screeched the cat Faunus, lobbing their projectile. Adam merely brushed it aside with his arm as he continued to approach his fellow Faunus. "They were just ki—"

"They were harming you." Adam realized why this Faunus made him so uncomfortable. They reminded him of someone else… "They were in the way of my quest to create a safe world for the Faunus." _Just like someone else is…_

"So… You kill them?!" The Faunus was on the verge of tears. "My mom… She said you were a hero! Someone who wanted to make the world a better place!"

Adam lashed out with his spare arm, grabbing the torn collar of the Faunus's shirt and hoisted them into the air. "I am making the world a better place," Adam said, his voice calm when once it would have been furious. "And if you are not willing to understand that sacrifices must be made, then you are in my way."

"Th-they didn't deserve t-to die!" The quaking and shivering did not match their declaration.

"If not yet, then they would earn that right. I merely saved us some trouble."

"They didn't deserve to die!" The shaking stopped. Adam saw that glint in those bright eyes, he knew that they would not see his reasonable vision.

Adam dropped the Faunus to the ground. It was too much. The similarities were becoming more than annoying. When he had offered mercy to her, she had thrust her blade into his back. He would not make the same mistake twice. "You brought this upon yourself," he muttered, raising his crimson blade before it descended in one quick motion, the fearful scream kindly cut short.

As Adam finally sheathed Wilt, a slow clap began behind him. As he turned, he scowled, seeing the man he was supposed to be meeting tonight. Torchwick's twisted grin made Adam as uncomfortable as ever. _It would be so easy to kill him here_,he thought, his hand straying back to Wilt.

"You really are a monster, you know that, kid?" Torchwick's sarcastic applause stopped as he did, keeping a safe distance from Adam. "Not that I'm one to judge. You did what you had to do to keep people in line."

"I don't need to hear this from the likes of you, human."

"Aw, don't be like that," Torchwick replied, his voice soft and playful. "We're all in this together now, kid. You aren't the only one to get a little carried away after seeing some red."

Adam wished he snarled and drew his blade at the remark. He would cut down this arrogant human and the White Fang would wage their righteous war without the aid of humans. But now was not the time for such a passionate display. As much as it killed him to admit it, he needed them. For now. When the time was right, he'd make them all regret thinking that he was just their pawn to move around.

"Well, Cinder just wanted me to check on you. I admit, I had my doubts about you. But now…" Roman gestured his cane towards the three bloody corpses. "Seems like you are as serious as you said." Flipping his cane upward so it rested on his shoulder, he turned his back on Adam, waving an idle hand. "Good to know that if a bunch of kids are interfering with our plans, we have someone to count on."

As Adam watched Roman walk away, he heard the wind howl the loudest that night. It was odd, he thought, that it no longer felt all that cold.


End file.
